In the (11) , the only known way, to India from Europe involved traveling through Turkey. When the Turks (12) a new tax on Europe’s profitable overland trade with India in 1453, Portugal and Spain began to look for an alternate sea route to India. Their (13) brought Europe into contact with North and South America. (14) a century, much of these two vast continents would come under European control. It was not until 1498 that Vasco da. Gama found the allsea route to India— (15) .the horn of Africa.